


Between You and Me

by Spacecadet72



Category: Knives Out (2019)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:13:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22871548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spacecadet72/pseuds/Spacecadet72
Summary: Marta and Benoit decide to keep their relationship private, as it's no one's business but theirs. This proves more difficult than they thought.
Relationships: Benoit Blanc/Marta Cabrera
Comments: 4
Kudos: 100





	Between You and Me

**Author's Note:**

> I have so many other things on my to write list, but this would not leave me alone. I'm kind of obsessed with them. :D

"I love you."

Marta pushed up on her toes in response to his confession, and pressed a much too brief kiss to his lips. Chasing her mouth with his, Benoit claimed another kiss, this time much longer and more passionate. Her arms went around his neck and he pulled her closer to him as she went willingly and deepened the kiss.

"I love you," she said as she pulled back and pressed a kiss to his jaw.

His eyes fluttered open, his heart singing with elation. Marta Cabrera loved him. He wanted to get on the rooftop of Harlan's ridiculous mansion and shout it for everyone to hear.

Their lips found each other again, and he wasn't saying anything to anyone for the next few blissful moments. After they had pulled back a second time and found their breath, they sat together on the couch, crowded against each other on one side. She laid her head against his shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her, truly content in a way he hadn't been in so long, he hadn't even realized he was missing anything.

"I don't think we should tell anyone," Marta said quietly, as her fingers absently rubbed the edge of his tie.

That feeling of contentment fell away in a horrible moment of fear, his heart constricting. Not tell anyone? He pulled back to look at her properly. "Marta," he began, not sure he wanted to know where this conversation was going. But if it was for her, he would face any awkwardness, any heartbreak. "I know I'm not what one would consider young--"

"Oh, no, Benoit," she said, sounding horrified as she sat up to look in the eyes. "It has nothing to do with that. I don't care how old you are."

"Then why keep it a secret?" he asked, brow furrowing in confusion.

She shook her head. "The media has been trying to get into my life ever since they found out about the inheritance, and I don't want to share this with them, it's too important to let them try and tear apart."

That made sense. He felt his heartbeat calm as he turned over the reasoning in his mind. The media could be vultures, and he and Marta deserved to see where this was going in privacy.

"Alright," he said, turning back to her with a soft smile. "We'll keep it a secret."

"I'd like to tell my mother and Alice, of course."

Benoit chuckled. "I'll probably be spending some time over here, I'd rather not have to hide it from them. I'd like to tell my mother as well, but she won't tell anybody about us, even if they thought to ask her."

"I'm glad that they'll know, but nobody else needs to," she said, snuggling back into him.

He nodded, pulling her in closer and pressing a kiss on the top of her head.

* * *

A month later, Benoit was almost regretting their decision. Now, he still agreed with the reasoning, and they didn't owe anybody access into their private lives, but sitting at a table at the latest charitable dinner, he watched Marta in a beautiful dark blue gown talking to a young governor's son and it was hard to not be by her side. She could talk to whoever she wanted, but he wanted to be there with her, his arm around her as they mingled around the room. The governor's son seemed very taken with Marta, which Benoit had to admit he didn't like seeing, even while he trusted Marta completely.

They had been solving cases together before any love confessions, so their association in public wasn't questioned. And it certainly wasn't a problem for him to have a friendly dance with his business partner while at a charitable function. The last song was just ending, and before he could question it any further, he was up and walking towards Marta and the young man.

"Benoit," she said with a smile when he reached them. "Have you met Joshua Thomas? His father is the Governor of Massachusetts. I was just telling him about our last case."

"Benoit Blanc," he said as he shook Joshua's hand. "It's a pleasure." He dropped the handshake and stuffed his hands in his pocket, wanting more than anything to reach out and take Marta's hand in his. She seemed to be having similar thoughts as she awkwardly pushed her hair back, seemingly unsure of what to do with her hands.

"I actually came over to see if you would honor me with a dance," Benoit said, turning to Marta, who smiled up at him and nodded. He turned back to Joshua. "It was nice to meet you," he said before walking with Marta toward the dance floor.

"You're jealous," Marta said, laughter in her voice as they walked away.

"A dance is something we can get away with," he said, quietly as the first strains of the next song began and they moved into position. This felt right, holding her, one of her hands in his and the other on his shoulder. He kept his hand on her back at a respectable height, much higher than if they were just dancing at home, as sometimes happened when they cooked dinner.

"I hate it too, but it's for a good reason," she said with a sigh.

He nodded. "Oh, I agreed then and I agree now, but if I can get away with a dance with my partner, I will."

Marta looked up at him, fighting a grin.

"What did you think of the governor's son?" he asked as he moved them around the dance floor.

She rolled her eyes. "I thought you weren't jealous."

He looked at her, his expression all innocence and confusion. "I'm just curious."

"He's very nice, but I'm glad we got our dance," she said, before shooting him a look. "But you should watch how you look at me or people will know."

He glanced around. "No one's looking at us, but you're right. I'll do better to hide it."

"Just until we're home," she murmured, her voice low.

Benoit twisted his hand to glance at his watch. Not too long now before they could be back at the house, where he practically lived with her, curled up on the couch, while watching a movie or listening to music or just being together. He hadn't despised one of these events more than he did just now.

The song ended and they stepped apart, and walked off the dance floor.

"I'll see you tonight," he said quietly as she met his eyes and nodded almost imperceptibly before walking off to mingle on her own again.

Benoit sighed before looking around and spotting a local detective he'd been wanting to talk with. That at least wouldn't be a bad way to spend the remaining time before he could be with Marta again.

* * *

It was easier when they were on cases to remain professional and act like he wasn't in love with her, like he didn't know what her lips felt like against his.

Standing close to her was almost more difficult, as it would be just so easy to rest a hand on the small of her back, or wrap an arm around her, or take her hand with his. But he had more restraint than that, and he could certainly act professionally while on the job.

There was something sort of sweet and precious about the time they did have to really be together while at home. As if because they couldn't show their love in public, they made more concerted efforts at home and treasured the moments and touches and kisses they did have.

He liked that part, that almost cocoon of intimacy they had created in her house. Even if Alice found it hilarious to make sarcastic comments when she caught them kissing in the corner of the library or the parlor. You would think with a house that large Marta's sister wouldn't be able to catch them as often as she did, but she managed it somehow.

So he found himself caught between two opposites: bliss at home and torture in public. But he loved her, and if this is what was needed to love her and be loved by her, then he would take it, no questions asked.

* * *

They were sitting on the couch of the library, both reading one night when the doorbell rang.

"I'll go get it," Marta said quietly, setting her book down and pressing a quick kiss to his lips.

Benoit turned back to his book, half paying attention to the words on the page and half listening to hear who was at the door. When Joni Thrombey's voice filtered into the library, he set his book down and forced himself to walk leisurely towards the front door.

"...and I completely understand how you must be feeling..." Joni trailed off, her head tilting to one side in surprise as Benoit entered the hall. "Detective Blank, what are you doing here?"

"Mr. Blanc, please," he said quietly, even knowing she would never get it right. "I'm just visiting a friend," he said, keeping a respectable distance between himself and Marta while still making it clear he was there in a protective capacity. "What brings you here this afternoon?"

Joni turned back to Marta, an exaggerated look of concern on her face. "I just wanted to see how Marta was doing, it must be so hard being in this old house alone, grieving for a friend."

"As you can see, she's not alone, but thank you for your concern," he said as he took a step closer to Marta.

Joni looked between the two of them, realization dawning across her features as she let out a disbelieving laugh. "You're not--you're not dating, are you?"

Without even looking at Marta, he shook his head and pasted on a friendly smile, knowing he had to be the one to handle this question. "We are not, I'm just here to support a friend. Which you can clearly understand."

Joni looked at them, her look of disbelief still in place, before turning back to Marta and smoothing a concerned smile in place. "Are you sure there isn't anything I can do for you?"

Marta shook her head. "I'm perfectly fine, but thank you for stopping by," she said, stepping forward to usher Joni out of the house. Joni went with sputtered platitudes, and once the door was finally shut, Marta walked back to the library.

He followed her and as soon as they were out of sight, she turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, her head resting against his chest. "I'm just so tired of dealing with them."

He wrapped his arms around her, and let his head rest on hers. "I know, darling."

She pulled back enough to look up at him. "I almost wish we could have told her we were dating. I can't believe she laughed about it."

"Well, most people won't look at the two of us and think of the romantic potential," he said, thinking for not the first time that he was too old for her.

She shook her head. "Who cares what they think. We love each other, we're both grown adults, that's all that matters."

"You're right, but folks are always looking for a reason to judge."

She let out a sigh. "If we're going to let people know about us, we're not starting with Joni Thrombey."

He let out a surprised laugh. "That's for sure," he said, before leaning down and pressing his lips to hers.

* * *

"You guys are not going to believe this," Alice said as she walked into the library one morning a week and a half later. Both Marta and Benoit had been reading, and they looked up from their books.

"What is it, Alice?" Marta asked her voice laced with concern.

Alice thrusted her phone at Marta. "I can't believe one of them would say that."

"Who said what?" Benoit asked, trying to look at the screen over Marta's shoulder.

"One of those Thrombey's." Alice said with a shake of her head. "It had to be one of them."

Marta's face had gone pale, and he turned all of his attention to her, ignoring the string of angry Spanish from Alice.

"What is it?"

Marta turned the screen so he could see. On it was an article with a title that screamed, _MYSTERY OF LOVE?,_ in big bold letters above a picture of them at some event. Not the one they had danced at, but one from only last week. The picture was one of them standing together at the side of the ballroom, and the look he was giving her could only be one of love. He bit back a curse. He really had been trying to work on that.

He scrolled down to scan through the article. "'They're inseparable,' a source close to both parties told us. 'He's over at the house all the time.'"

"Now that's some conjecture, if it was Joni" he said, his tone dry. "Extrapolating all the time from one visit."

"They're not wrong, though," Marta said, looking up at him with a worried expression.

Alice looked between the two of them, before taking her phone back from Benoit. "I'll let you guys talk about this," she said before walking out of the library.

"It's over," Marta said, still pale and shocked. "We have to tell everyone the truth."

He shook his head. "Not necessarily. We do spend a lot of time together professionally, it was only a matter of time before one of these rags put our names together. We don't have to confirm or deny anything."

"What do you think we should do?" she asked, scooting in closer to him.

"I just want to be with you. Whatever will make your life easier, I'm alright with. Tell them, don't tell them, I don't care. I just want you to be happy."

"I am happy. With you."

"I'm glad to hear that, sweetheart," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Whatever you want to do, I'll follow along."

She nodded, but just burrowed her head in against his shoulder. Whatever they were going to do, they weren't going to figure it out tonight.

* * *

"Ms. Cabrera!"

"Detective Blanc!"

Benoit and Marta turned at the voices calling them. Two people, who could only be reporters, rushed towards them, one with a camera, and the other with a recorder in hand.

"What do you have to say about the speculation around your relationship?" The one with the recorder asked, shoving it towards their faces. The one with the camera had it at the ready.

Benoit sighed. He'd hoped they would have more time before they were directly confronted. He stepped forward to speak, when Marta put a hand on his arm. He looked over at her and nodded at the determined and calm look in her eyes.

"We are dating," she said, her tone proud, and firm.

"How long have you been dating? Why did you keep it a secret?"

Benoit turned to both of them with a drawled out, "No comment," before he turned to Marta and held his hand out.

With a brilliant smile, she took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. As much as he wanted to kiss her at that moment, there were some things that were still private. At the clicking sound of the camera, that was the right choice.

The reporters continued to shout questions at them, but he merely laced their fingers together. "Shall we?"

She nodded and without another glance at the reporters, they continued their way down the street, this time, hand in hand.


End file.
